Gisborne Hospital Report - Health and Disability Commissioner

Gisborne Hospital 1999 – 2000
Operating Theatre Protocols
anaesthetic machine. The Charge Anaesthetic Technician orders anaesthetic
equipment.
2.16 There were at the relevant time six anaesthetic technicians at Gisborne
Hospital. Of these, three were fully registered, and two of the others were in
the process of training when Dr Lucas arrived.
2.17 Dr Lucas had not worked with anaesthetic technicians before coming to
Gisborne. He did not know what their role was and who they were answerable
to administratively. He thought that they came somewhere below a nurse. An
anaesthetic technician stated:
2.18 Dr Lucas stated:
“Dr Lucas said he was used to working alone. I got the feeling that he
didn’t like technicians doing anything. In fact he wanted the technician
out of the room.”
“I queried whether they are answerable to the nurses because on
occasion when I asked the chief technician for a certain item or piece of
equipment, like for example, the famous straps [theatre table restraints]
the chief technician said that she would have to take that [request] to the
charge nurse. The theatre technician’s role job status and training status
was never clearly defined to me by anyone. I got the sense that they
were not as trained as nurses and that they were assigned to help the
anaesthetists. I observed anaesthetic technicians did errands in theatre.”
2.19 There was some confusion about who the technicians in theatre reported to
with different accounts given to the investigation team of the reporting lines.
This was evidenced by the confusion amongst technicians and other theatre
staff about who was responsible for the technicians’ performance appraisals.
THL advised that the anaesthetic technicians report to the Theatre Manager,
who is responsible for their appraisals, but during anaesthesia the technicians
are responsible to the anaesthetists.
Dr Lucas’ orientation to theatre
2.20 The Human Resources Department co-ordinates the induction programme,
which is now run monthly. Each department is responsible for inducting new
members of staff to that department.
2.21 Dr Lucas described his orientation as follows:
“When I arrived at Gisborne Hospital I was anxious to start my job. I
was concerned that it took about a week for me to be taken through the
orientation process in the hospital. I thought that this process could have
been completed in a day because all I needed were some lab coats, a
pager, a cell phone, to have my picture taken and arrangements made for
salary payments.”
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